Superintendent: Ysleta school district dealing with funding cuts

The loss of $27 million in state funds during the 2011-12 biennium will present a challenge to the Ysleta Independent School district in the upcoming school year, the district's superintendent said Friday.

Superintendent Michael Zolkoski said during Friday's state of the district address that the funding loss was due to the $5.4 billion the state cuts lawmakers made in an attempt to balance the state budget.

The district this year may see and additional decrease in federal funds.

As a result, the district is expected to diminish it's spending by more than $40 million - a move that will hurt students in the long run, Zolkoski said.

"It's something we will have to address," Zolkoski said. "We need that money."

The money lost would mostly affect students enrolled in the district's special education and bilingual programs.

The loss has forced administrators to look at ways of cutting costs, including investments in energy efficient light-bulbs, waterless urinals, and technology systems.

Improving graduation rates is another concern in the coming year.

About 65 percent of YISD seniors graduated in 2011-12.

"We can always do better," Zolkoski said. "We have a new standardized test and it's different. And we've noticed that our scores in social studies are low, so we'll have to face that new challenge."

Despite the challenges in funding cuts, the district has not raised taxes in the last six years.

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To make improvements to the district's schools, more than $30 million was spent out-of-pocket, Trustee Shane Haggerty said.

But that may change if the state continues to tighten the budget.

"We collect our money but you can't hold the tide," Zolkoski said.

Already, the district, which is growing in the Northeast, is looking to build a new energy efficient pre-k through eighth international school.

District officials estimate the cost of building the new school could be between $20 million to $30 million.

"We're looking for the funds," Zolkoski said. "If it were an elementary school, it would be less (expensive). But this is an area that is growing, partly because of Fort Bliss and partly because of the new housing boom."